Piano



(No Model.)

F. G. SMITH.

PIANO.

No. 385,380. Pa,tented July 8, 1888.

Fig 2.

.... EIHHIIWH Winewes, Inventor a WWW FkEEBOH/Y G. SM/TH, COAQMMWWMQ 35m UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREEBORN G. SMITH, OF BROOKLYN, NElV YORK.

'PiAtie.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 385,380, dated July 3,1888.

Serial No. 256,147. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREEBORN G. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brooklyn, in the State of New York, and having my principalplace of business at No. 95 Fifth avenue, in the city of New York, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Grand, Square, and UprightPianos, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to what are known as the pedal attachments ofpianos.

It consists in a novel front plate having each or all of severalpeculiar features of construction,in combination with the ordinarybottom frame or lyre, and with pedals which may be of a very simplestyle or of any preferred shape.

The objects of the invention are, first, to form in an inexpensive wayunyielding supports beneath the pins which pivot the pedals, and,secondly, by the same means, in part, to prevent the entrance of micebeneath the pedals of upright pianos, and thus to prevent thedestruction of the cloth and felt by these pests without additionalattachments.

A sheet of drawings accompanies this specification as part thereof.Figure 1 of these drawings is a perspective front view of a midlengthlower portion of the front of an upright piano provided with my pedalattachment. Fig. 2 represents a plan view of the pedals and front plate,showing the latter and the front rail of the bottom frame, to which itis attached, half in section in the plane of the pivots. Fig. 3represents a vertical transverse section on the line 3 3, Fig. 2; andFig. 4 is a back view of the front plate detached. i

Likeletters ofreference indicatelike parts in the several figures.

In providing an upright piano with my pedal attachment, the front rail,B, of the common bottom frame is recessed at its lower edge and infront, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and the pedals P l? are furnished withordi nay transverse pivot-pins, p, to form horizontal pivots, simplylocated farther front than is customary. Otherwise the pedals may be ofthe simple style shown or of any preferred shape. Fitted to the saidrecesses of the front rail and to the shanks of the pedals,with theirsaid pivotpins p, is a front plate, F, pref erably metallic and ofornamental design, which is provided on its back with projectingabutments a, Figs. 3 and 4:, which form nn yielding supports beneath therespective ends of each pivot-pin, the plate being tightly attached tothe rail B by screws 3, Figs. 1 and 2, accommodated bysuitahly-distributcd holes h, Fig. at, in the plate. The wood at theback of the pivots p and the customary felt cushions, f, Figs. 2 and 3,at the sides of the pedalshanks,prevent vibration in the pedals. Saidabutments are located at the sides of openings 0 in the front plate, F,which openings may be small, because of the location thus of the pivotalcenters of movement at the very face of the front rail, B, while theentrance of mice beneath the pedals by way of the recesses in the bottomof said front rail is effectively prevented by bottom guards, b, formingparts of said front plate. The openings between these guards (seen inFig. 4) need only be wide enough to admitthe pedalshanks edgewisc.

The front plate, F, in addition to its functions above stated, forms aguard for thefront of the piano, preventing its defacenient by the shoesof players. To increase its efficiency for this purpose, the plate isconstructed with the projecting top guard, t, which operates as a stopto keep the toes of the players shoes from slipping upward off theplate.

I am aware that the pedals and pedal-openings of cabinet-organs havebeen provided with vermin-guards. These I do not claim.

Having thus described my said improvement in grand, square, and uprightpianos, I claim as my invention and desire to patent under thisspecificatioiy 1. In combination with the bottom frame and pedals of apiano, said pedals having horizontal pivots, a front plate attached tothe face of said frame and having on its back abutments, upon theshoulders of which said pivots are supported, substantially ashereinbelorc set forth.

2. In combination with the bottom frame and pedals of a piano, the frontrail of said bottom frame having recesses in its lower theplatetopartlyclose said openings beneath edge to accommodate the shanks of saidpedthe pedals, substantially as hereinbefore set als, and the latterhaving horizontal pivots forth.

at the face of said rail, a front plate attached to said face of thefront rail and having openings which coincide with said recesses, andbottom guards integral with the body of F. G. SMITH. Witnesses:

GEo. H. PENDLETON, DORUS R. MoREA.

